100 Years Ago: 1923

A postcard, mailed at Squirrel Island, near Boothbay Harbor, on July 4, 1906, was delivered Friday to Perley Wallace, 4 Hill Street. It was mailed by a hotel clerk at the island, and shows the landing, with a number of women gowned in the fashion of that period. The card bears the cancellation mark of the Squirrel Island and Woodford post offices, suggesting that it may have lain in the latter post office for the past 17 years.

50 Years Ago: 1973

President Nixon acknowledged with a “sense of deep personal loss” Wednesday the resignation of Vice President Spiro T. Agnew and quickly began consulting Republican and 7 Democratic leaders about nominating a successor.

White House officials would not give a timetable for selection of a new Vice President, nor would they speculate on who might be picked for the post. Barely two hours after the announcement of Agnew’s historic  action, Nixon went into a meeting with four top Republican congressional leaders: Sens. Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania and Robert Griffin of Michigan and Reps. Gerald Ford of Michigan and Leslie Arends of Illinois. Nixon also summoned two congressional Democrats, House Speaker Carl Albert of Oklahoma and Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield of Montana, to an evening meeting in the Oval Office.

The main purpose of the meetings, said presidential spokesman, Gerald L. Warren was to talk about procedures to be followed in Nixon’s nomination of Agnew’s successor, a nomination that requires confirmation by both houses of Congress.

White House Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler, without giving specifics, had said prior to the meetings that Nixon would “promptly begin consultations with appropriate national leaders” both inside and outside the administration as he moved expeditiously in selecting a nominee.

25 Years Ago: 1998

If Portland passes a smoking ban on Nov. 3 in all restaurants, it would be the first community in Maine to do so, eliminating one of the last public bastions where smokers can legally light up indoors.

And if that happens, other municipalities throughout Maine – as well as the state Legislature – will likely do the same, predicted health officials closely watching the issue.

“If the Portland referendum passes it will absolutely give a boost to other communities to pass a smoke-free statute,” said Dr. Dora Mills, director of Maine’s Health Bureau. “Many people are tired of the tobacco industry lies. Many other communities will be inspired to do the same.”

Ed Miller, executive director of the Maine chapter of the American Lung Association in Augusta, agreed, and added that a successful smoking ban in restaurants in Portland would give more state lawmakers the courage to pass a state law.

The material used in Looking Back is produced exactly as it originally appeared although misspellings and errors may be corrected.

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